Changing Hearts And Minds
by FreeingAlys
Summary: [COMPLETE!]Spencer is at college and hasn't spoken to Ashley since their fallout during their Senior year of high school. Now Ashley is poking her head again, shaking up Spencer's college bound world.[Spashley]
1. Chapter 1

**Title: **Changing Hearts And Minds   
**Author: **Freeing Alys   
**Rating: **T   
**Pairing: **Spashley[Spencer/Ashley   
**Summary: **Spencer is at college and things are going good, then Ashley shows up out of nowhere half a year after their fallout and Spencer's whole world is turned around.   
**Disclaimer: **I DO NOT own South Of Nowhere or any of the charectors of story plots. Those all belong to CTV, The-N and anyone else affiliated. I'm JUST a fan, trying to improve my writing skills. No copywrite infridgement intended.   
**Author's Note: **So this is my first SoN fic as well as a Spashley fic. I don't know when this takes place, mid second season I think, not much after that, so disreguard anything after that. I think you can just get it as you read it. So tell me how I'm doing with the story, writing and everything. Thanks guys.

**  
Chapter One**

Spencer Carlin tapped her pen against her open book and let out a sigh. She had been trying to study for her English midterm for an hour now, but it was hard. Spencer couldn't understand half of the words that were in the book-even though she should. With all the cramming for midterms Spencer had been doing she was starting to get a fogged brain.

Eyeing her coffee sitting on the corner of her desk Spencer quickly picked it up and took a quick drink. It was enough to make her stable again, just long enough to be able to read yet another sentence she didn't understand. "Great." Spencer groaned out wishing she could just read the chapters, study the content and be ready for midterms.

Spencer placed her face in her open hands and shook her head. This was being way to hard and Spencer didn't know why. It could be the fact that her brain kept roaming, she couldn't stop thinking about everything. Which was making it hard to read anything. Spencer glanced back at the page and tried to read the sentence again, but the same outcome came out of it.

"Hey Spence!" Spencer turned around to see her roommate stalk into their dorm and sit on her bed, a big grin on her face. Spencer sighed and smiled at Aubrey, she was a cool roommate, but sometimes she was just way to happy. She was always smiling and speaking with an upbeat, perky voice. She was just plain happy for no good reason. Spencer had never known someone so happy. It was really a change from the group she hung around when she was in high school.

"Hey Aubrey, what's going on?" Spencer as Aubrey slipped out of her jacket and tossed it on the side of the floor. She was messy too Spencer noted, she tossed her things around constantly, not ever taking care of them. Having a roommate definitely was one of the harder points of college life.

"Well…I do have another date with Brain tonight. Gosh, I really like him!" She exclaimed and Spencer nodded her head. Plus that whole boy factor, Aubrey loved boys. She dated constantly, she was always bouncing around from guy to guy or holding onto one for really tightly for weeks at a time.

"Oh, nice." Spencer mumbled as she turned back to her books.

Spencer heard Aubrey stand off of her bed and walk over to her closet. "Hitting the books again?" Aubrey asked and Spencer nodded her head. Aubrey really wasn't one to study, she was more the party girl.

"Yeah Aubrey. Midterms are coming up." Spencer reminded her roommate and she turned to face Aubrey again.

Aubrey was standing in her closet picking up shirt after shirt and holding it up to herself as she examined it in her mirror. "I know Spence. But I mean, I'll do fine. I go to classes." Aubrey was a Performing Arts major, which kind of explained her calmness about the whole midterm thing. While Spencer was an English major-her goal being to teach English, it had been her favorite course at King High-she was a bit more wound up about the midterms.

"Going out?" Spencer asked picking her pen back up and tapping it against her hand.

Aubrey turned towards Spencer smiled and nodded her head. "Yeah, Brain calls." She let out in a sing song voice.

Spencer nodded her head and watched Aubrey pick up a couple more shirts, hold them against her and examine herself in the mirror. Being happy with one of the shirts Aubrey tossed it on her bed and started flipping through her skirts. "Where are you going?" Spencer asked curiously as she watched Aubrey pick out a skirt and toss it on her bed.

"I don't really know, but I don't care." She added a giggle following the words.

Spencer cracked a smile and nodded her head. "Oh." She mumbled and turned as Aubrey started to get dressed in her date outfit.

"You know what's weird Spence?" Aubrey asked as Spencer heard her wrestle with clothes.

"What?" Spencer asked staring at her text book the words finally starting to make sense again.

"I haven't seen you date one dude this whole year, well except that one fling, but... What's up with that? Or are you hiding one away?" Aubrey asked and Spencer felt her heart race. She had known Aubrey for half a year now, but she still hadn't let loose about the whole dating girls and guys thing. Spencer really didn't know how to tell her, plus dating wasn't much of an option for Spencer. She didn't have the time, she actually concentrated on school.

"Well you know Aubrey…" Spencer stated, hoping that Aubrey would just drop it. But Spencer knew she should've known better then that.

Aubrey let out a laugh and Spencer heard her picking up her bag. "That's a lot of crap Spence." Aubrey said slipping on her ballet flat shoes.

Spencer smiled at Aubrey and shrugged her shoulders. "Okay then." Spencer answered and Aubrey shook her head, making her brown hair flow over her shoulders.

"You'll tell me your story one day Spence." Aubrey stated and she walked towards the door. "See you later." She waved her hand over her shoulder and walked out of the dorm room.

Spencer let out a small laugh and turned her head back towards her books. She really had to get these chapters read now, or she wasn't going to do well on the midterm in a week.

Spencer's gaze fell onto the page and she started reading the words, as they started to come easier to here. Every couple of seconds Spencer would turn to her pad of paper and jot down some notes that she would need to know for later on, the studying that came after reading.

Just as Spencer was falling back into her pace of reading and jotting down notes her cell phone rang, causing her to jump slightly. Spencer reached across her desk, where her cell was and picked it up. Glancing at the caller id she saw that it was her mom. Sighing Spencer picked up the phone and pressed it to her ear. "Hey Mom." Spencer said and she heard her mom laugh on the other end.

"Wow, Spencer, it's great to hear your voice. How are you?" She asked the question so vauge, meaning Spencer was up to giving a completely vauge answer.

"Good. Studying." Spencer replied and she set her pen down on her desk. Depending on her mom's mood this could take awhile. The call was either a quick check-up or an hour long conversation on why Spencer hasn't brought home any boyfriends yet.

"Good, midterm is coming up right?" Spencer's mom asked and Spencer nodded her head to no one.

"Yeah." She answered. Spencer let out a mental sigh and wished she could just get back to studying. She really didn't feel like talking to her mom. The way things were left with them right before Spencer left for Harvard wasn't good. The fallout with Ashley that Mrs. Carlin being the one who sparked it wasn't helping her case any. Spencer felt her heart flutter just at the thought of Ashley, she had really loved that girl and now she was gone.

"Spencer?" Spencer jolted back to real world and realized her mom had said something.

"What? Sorry Mom." Spencer replied and Mrs. Carlin let out another sigh.

"I asked whatever happened to Robbie." She stated again and Spencer felt her nerves start to rattle. Robbie the guy Spencer had started dating the first week of classes just to appease her mom, and maybe to get over Ashley. Part of Spencer just wanted to go to life before Ashley, the life where she dated guys and made her mom proud, and that was when Robbie came into the picture. Spencer dated him for a month before she broke it off because of the stupid thoughts of Ashley. Those thoughts just kept getting in Spencer's way.

"I broke up with him Mom. A couple months ago, remember?" Spencer asked and she heard her mom laugh.

"Yeah I know that sweetie. I just thought maybe…" She trailed off and Spencer knew what her mom wanted, but it wasn't going to.

"I know what you thought Mom and it's not what's happening." Spencer spat out getting more angry by the moment. She just really wished her mom would accept her and move on.

"Spencer I'm just…" Mrs. Carlin started before Spencer heard rustling in the background. "Okay honey." Mrs. Carlin stated and Spencer heard the phone being passed around, hopefully to her dad.

"Hey Spencer." Mr. Carlin stated and Spencer let a smile cross her face.

"Hey Daddy. How's it going?" She asked and she heard her mom in the background, but her dad's talking covered the noise.

"Good. We're doing good here. How are you doing?" Mr. Carlin asked and Spencer nodded her head.

"I'm okay. Midterms you know." Spencer stated and she tapped her fingers on her desk.

"Yeah I know. You are at my Alma Matter remember?" Mr. Carlin asked and Spencer nodded. Yeah, she knew that one all right.

"I know Dad." She answered and she heard her dad laugh.

"Okay honey I'll let you get back ok…wait Glenn wants to talk to you." Spencer heard Mr. Carlin pass the phone to Glenn. Glenn, the one who was supposed to be attending California State University, but obviously was not currently.

"Hey sis." Glenn said into the phone and she heard him adjust the phone on his ear.

"Glenn, what are you doing home?" Spencer asked and she heard Glenn a carefree laugh.

"I came home for a few days. I mean, I'm studied up for midterms. Anyway, guess who I saw?" Glenn asked and Spencer shrugged her shoulders as she tapped her fingers against the wood that made her desk.

"I don't know, who?" Spencer asked and she heard Glenn let out a happy sigh.

"Ashley! I hope you don't mind, but I don't her where you are and everything. She made it seem like she might stop by. I think she said soemthign about a road trip or something…" Glenn said and Spencer felt her head go light at the mention of Ashley.

Spencer stopped tapping her fingers and stood out of her chair and started to pace around her side of the dorm. "What?" Spencer asked, the only word that came to her mind. She could hardly believe it, she hadn't seen Ashley for almost half a year and now there was a chance she'd just show up?

"What, you're not happy?" Glenn asked like he didn't understand it at all, it was like he never had an ex. Well he never had an ex under the conditions of Ashley anyway.

"I don't know Glenn, this is just a bit much right? I mean I haven't seen Ashley since our fallout. I don't know what to do…or say…" Spencer stuttered out and she heard Glenn let out a sigh on the other end.

"Just embrace it Spencer. I mean, she wants to see you again right?" He asked and Spencer crossed her hand along her stomach. That was kind of true, Spencer would be happy to see Ashley again. They left under bad conditions and Spencer did want to change that. It would just be weird.

"Yeah I guess." Spencer replied and she heard Glenn mumble something on the other end to someone else.

"I have to go Spencer, Mom you know. Talk to you later?"

"Yeah Glenn. Bye." Spencer agreed and she hung up her phone.

Tossing the phone onto her desk Spencer let out a sigh. She really wasn't sure if this was a good thing or not, be she would find out sooner or later.


	2. Chapter 2

**Title: **Changing Hearts And Minds  
**Author: **Freeing Alys  
**Rating: **T  
**Pairing: **Spashley[Spencer/Ashley  
**Summary: **Spencer is at college and things are going good, then Ashley shows up out of nowhere half a year after their fallout and Spencer's whole world is turned around.  
**Disclaimer: **I DO NOT own South Of Nowhere or any of the charectors or story plots. Those all belong to CTV, The-N and anyone else affiliated. I'm JUST a fan, trying to improve my writing skills. I'm not making any profit off of this at all. No copywrite infridgement intended.  
**Author's Note: **Okay so I kind of figured out the time line. So it's after the episode, When The World Crumbles and the one after that-when they run away and come back. Basically Mrs. Carlin's thoughts of Spencer with Ashley and being gay are the same. Clay and Chelsea have obviously had the baby, and Chelsea is going to a small art school and Clay is at Cal State. Glenn as stated before in chapter one, is going to Cal State as well, the Long Beach version.  If you have any questions on the holes in this story-I'm sure I left something out, lol-ask and I'll reply to you. Thanks to my reviewers and those who have put my story on alert!

**Chapter two**

"_You just won't admit to it ever will you?" Ashley asked, pain in her eyes. Spencer looked at the entrance to the kitchen where she knew her mom and mystery boy that she had brought home were waiting. Spencer was caught off guard when Mrs. Carlin walked into the house with a boy Spencer's age tagging along. Mrs. Carlin made up some stupid excuse to why he was there and as Spencer and Ashley watched them, Spencer knew what it was about. Mrs. Carlin was trying to get Spencer with a guy…again. _

_Spencer was so caught off guard with the whole thing Spencer never even fought back when Mrs. Carlin introduced Ashley as Spencer's best friend to the boy and suggested that maybe he and Spencer could go on a date. The silence on Spencer's end made Ashley mad and sparked them walking into the living room and fighting. _

_Spencer shrugged her shoulders and looked back at her with the same expression. "Yeah I will! It's just hard right now Ashley…" Spencer trailed off her gaze falling down towards the ground._

"_Wake up Spencer! It's always hard." Ashley spat out and Spencer glanced back up at her not being able to believe how harsh Ashley was being on her._

"_Whatever Ashley, I'm trying to get into Berkely to make my parents happy, everything is stressful and building up." Spencer explained but the expression on Ashley's face didn't change._

"_That's Spencer Carlin for you, always trying to appease her parents." Ashley said as she crossed her arms over her shoulder and Spencer let out an angry sigh._

"_Just because I actually have parents to appease." Spencer said, knowing right away that it was the wrong thing to do, but she couldn't help it; she was hurt._

"_Screw you Spencer." Ashley walked quickly past Spencer and walked out of her living room. The door slammed behind her, the noise vibrating in Spencer's bones._

_Spencer glanced back towards her mom and the boy, Brain she thought, as they walked into the living room. Shaking her head at the both of them Spencer bit back the tears that wanted to spill from her eyes and walked up to her room. _

000

Spencer woke up, her alarm clock beeping loudly in her ear. Reaching her hand over to the device she carefully turned it off and opened her eyes. The dream about the last time she had spoken to Ashley rang in her mind and she felt butterflies in her stomach. There was a huge chance that Spencer could be side by side Ashley Davies once again, and the thought made Spencer just a little nervous.

Spencer sat up in bed and pulled her long, blond hair behind her shoulders and tied it in a loose ponytail. She glanced over to Aubrey's side of the room and saw that her bed was empty and it looked just like it did the night before, obviously Aubrey hadn't made it back the night before.

Letting out a sigh Spencer quickly pushed her blanket off of her and walked over to her closet. She pulled out jeans and a tank top and quickly got dressed. After checking the clock Spencer realized she had another thirty minutes to be able to catch breakfast in the cafeteria. She grabbed her purse and walked out of the dorm room locking it on her way out.

000

After breakfast Spencer walked back to her dorm, taking the longest way there, she needed the time to be able to mull things over. She had to figure out what she would say if Ashley did drop by. Holding onto her purse strap Spencer walked out in the California air and thought about all the things she wanted to say to Ashley.

But what would Spencer even say? The last time they had spoken Ashley was mad at Spencer for not admitting to dating Ashley and for wanting to appease her parents. What would Spencer say to Ashley, that she's doing great on appeasing her parents and even dated a guy? Shaking her head as she reached the dorms Spencer didn't know what to say to Ashley if she did show up.

Spencer walked into her dorm room and found Aubrey sitting on her own bed, chatting on her cell phone. "I know!" She exclaimed into the phone and glanced up at Spencer shut the door behind her.

Aubrey mouth a 'hey' to Spencer and Spencer smiled back in return. Spencer crossed the room to her side and plopped down into her chair parallel to her desk. She let out a sigh and flipped open her notebook with all of her notes and started to go over all of her notes. She had another lecture in three hours and she wanted to be fully ready for it, she didn't want to find herself lost a week before midterms.

Spencer glanced at the pen written words and started to leaf through them, going over the information again, trying to get familiar with it. "Ohmigod! That's like so gay!" Spencer glanced over her shoulder and saw Aubrey laughing on her phone, obviously very into the conversation she was having with the person on the other line.

So gay? Spencer completely forgot people even talked like that. Heaving out a sigh Spencer stared at Aubrey and realized that she set herself apart from that world sense AShely. Even though it was a part of Spencer and who she was, she didn't act on it like she did when she was with Ashley. Spencer could barely even remember what it was like to be in that lifestyle.

Spencer had barely even had a physical relationship since Ashley. There had been Robbie, btu the two of them had barely even made out. It was more hand holding, talking to each other late on the phone and telling each other everything-excluding Spencer's whole spent most of high school sleeping with a girl thing, of course.

Spencer shook her head and turned back to her notes. She just wanted to study for her stupid midterms, she really didn't want to think about Ashley, relationships, expectations, other people's views or anything else. She just wanted to pass her midterm.

000

An hour later Spencer was still sitting in her dorm room studying her notes, while Aubrey sat on her bed painting her fingernails. Spencer let out a sigh as she finished reviewing another page of notes and lifted her head up and then back down, stretching out her muscles.

There was a knock on the door as Spencer was getting into the flow of reading another page. Aubrey leapt off her bed, her nails sticking straight out as she flung open the door. "Ohhh Spence, it's for you!" Aubrey said in a singsong voice and Spencer felt her heartbeat quickly.

Thinkign it was Ashley Spencer smoothed her hair out and stood up from her desk slowly. She turned around and was caught off guard when she stood there staring at a medium built, dark haired, blued eyed Robbie Smith. "H-hey." Spencer stuttered out and she noticed that Robbie was holding something in his hands. "What's that?" She asked her gaze falling to the object he was grasping.

Robbie smiled at Spencer and then glanced down at the object in hand. "Oh…it's a cd and necklace you left in my dorm. I just found them today." He explained and he stepped closer to Spencer.

Spencer nodded her head, that would be the only reason he would be in Spencer's dorm room. "Oh." She said and walked up to Robbie and took the objects from is hands. "Thanks." She smiled at Robbie and Robbie glanced at Spencer with a nervous expression.

"So…" He trailed off and Spencer nodded her head in response.

"I don't want to be rude or anything…but I have midterms next week." She explained glancing back at her desk.

"Oh yeah, see you around Spencer." He mumbled and walked out of the dorm quickly, obviously hurt.

"Wow Spence, harsh." Aubrey said as the door shut behind Robbie.

Spencer tossed the cd and necklace on her shelf and shrugged her shoulders at Aubrey. "What?" She asked playing clueless even though she knew what this was going to be about, but she figured that no matter what she said, Aubrey was going to talk. And talk some more.

"He's totally in love with you." She stated simply and Spencer nodded as she walked over to her desk.

"He might be…but I'm somewhere else right now." Spencer admitted, Ashley's face randomly popping into her head for some reason unknown to Spencer.

"What happened?" Aubrey asked leaning on the edge of her bed, as close as she could get to Spencer.

Spencer glanced at Aubrey and remembered why they had broken up months ago. Their relationship had been going strong and it was all okay, but then something just hit Spencer and she didn't want to be in a relationship. It was an odd case where Spencer liked Robbie but didn't want to date him, relationship was something Spencer didn't want all that much. "It was me. I just didn't want to be in a relationship anymore." Spencer explained and Aubrey nodded her head.

"Ooookay. I don't get it, but I'm sure it makes sense to you." She said and Spencer shook her head. She highly doubted Aubrey hadn't been in a relationship since she was in junior high. These things were harder for Spencer, especially after her self-discovery when Ashley came into the picture.

"Yeah." Spencer mumbled and turned her attention back to her notes and the midterm.


	3. Chapter 3

**Title: **Changing Hearts And Minds  
**Author: **Freeing Alys  
**Rating: **T  
**Pairing: **Spashley[Spencer/Ashley  
**Summary: **Spencer is at college and things are going good, then Ashley shows up out of nowhere half a year after their fallout and Spencer's whole world is turned around.  
**Disclaimer: **I DO NOT own South Of Nowhere or any of the charectors or story plots. Those all belong to CTV, The-N and anyone else affiliated. I'm JUST a fan, trying to improve my writing skills. I'm not making any profit off of this at all. No copywrite infridgement intended.

**Chapter Three**

Spencer started to pace her dorm room, her heart beating fast and her stomach turning within itself. Ashley Davis. She kept popping into Spencer's mind and she just wished she'd go away. _Either show up or go away_, Spencer thought as she turned in her dorm room for the hundredth time.

What if Ashley really did show up? How would Spencer even explain her? Was she a friend? Someone from the past? Someone from high school? Her ex-girlfriend? Ex-girlfriend had to be a no, College Spencer wasn't gay. She did well in classes, had a roommate who was way too happy and an ex-boyfriend who still loved her. That wasn't Spencer anymore, was it?

The thoughts kept spinning around in Spencer's head until she couldn't even tell up from down. Everything was overloading in her brain and Spencer didn't know how to deal with it. Ashley Davis, God Spencer hasn't even had to think about her for months.

Spencer's cell phone rang, causing Spencer to jump slightly before she walked over to her phone and picked it up. "Hello?" She asked into the phone.

"Spencer hey!" She heard Clay say into the phone and Spencer smiled. She hadn't spoken to Clay for awhile and it was nice to hear him.

"Hey Clay, what's up?" She asked starting to pace around her room again.

"Not much. Chelsea is doing great in school, the baby is amazing, he's growing so much." Clay provided and Spencer smiled again, she had always thought that Clay had a good thing going on, even if he did have a kid years before he was supposed to.

"Cool. You guys sound like you're doing really well."

"Yeah. Look Glenn wanted me to call. He said something about Ashley stopping by tomorrow…mean anything to you?" He asked laughing out the last bit, like he didn't even understand it.

Spencer felt her stomach sink as she nodded her head. "Um yeah. Ashley you know, my ex, she's coming here to Berkeley." Spencer mumbled into the phone.

"Oh." Clay mumbled.

"Yeah, thanks for calling." Spencer said quickly hoping to call Glenn and getting the full story from him personally. Spencer knew he was trying to avoid giving her the news to avoid getting yelled at. But no way was Spencer going to spare him of that, this was his fault afterall. Glenn really had a big mouth.

"Bye Spencer." Clay said and he hung up his phone.

"Glenn." Spencer growled out as she flipped through her contact list on her phone until she hit Glenn's name. She pushed talk and listened as Glenn's phone rang.

"Hey." She heard Glenn pick up his phone.

"She's coming tomorrow!" Spencer stated half angry and half worried.

"Um, yeah. You okay with that? I mean you didn't sound to against it last time we talked, so…"

Spencer spun around in a couple of circles and shook her head. "Glenn, I don't know how to deal with her right now. I have midterms, stress you know."

Glenn let out a small laugh and it kind of made Spencer angry. Why in the hell was he laughing? "This will be good for you. Seeing someone from the good ol' days. She'll be good for you Spencer." Glenn stated and Spencer knew there was

something way past what Glenn had told her.

"You didn't run into Ashley did you?" She asked it suddenly all coming together. He had called her, trying to get them together again…for some reason. Spencer didn't even know why he'd do that. It was so unlike Glenn.

"No." Glenn stated simply.

"So what is this Glenn?" Spencer glancing at the time and realizing she should be asleep by now, even though she didn't have classes the next day.

"You just haven't been like yourself lately. You seem lost, and I figured that Ashley did help you find you once…" Glenn explained and Spencer smiled a small smile. At least he was caring now, instead of how he was in high school.

"Wow Glenn…" Spencer started before a sigh from Glenn interrupted her.

"Look let's just end this conversation before the mushy stuff okay?" Glenn asked and Spencer let out a laugh.

"Yeah, okay." She replied. "Bye." She mumbled and waited for Glenn to respond before Spencer hung up her phone.

She set her phone back on her desk and let out a sigh. So Ashley Davies was going to be in Spencer's life again. Spencer walked over to her bed and sat on it and glanced back at the clock. No way was she getting to sleep now.

000

After Spencer dressed for bed and sat on her bed she heard a knock on the dorm room's door. Sliding out of bed Spencer figured that Aubrey must've forgotten her key-again. Reaching the door Spencer pulled it open and found herself staring at Brianna. "Hey Spencer." Brianna greeted her and walked past Spencer into her dorm.

Spencer let out a little laugh and watched Brianna sit on her bed. "Hey." She replied. Brianna was the closest thing that Spencer had managed to get as a friend. They met on Frosh-week and deemed themselves friends ever since. It wasn't much of a 'have to hang around you all the time' friendship. But it worked for Spencer. Any friend was good enough for her.

"So what's up? Haven't seen you in like what two days?" Brianna asked and Spencer nodded her head as she walked back over to Brianna.

"Yeah. I mean, just studying you know. Midterms next week." Spencer replied and Brianna nodded her head knowingly.

"I know! I've been working my butt off too."

Spencer sat next to Brianna on her bed and nodded her head. "It's been stressful." Spencer added.

Brianna let out a laugh and nodded her head. "Tell me about it." Brianna crossed her arms across her chest and glanced at Spencer. "Soooo….how are things with Robbie?" She asked and Spencer mentally sighed.

She kind of wished everyone would stop talking and hinting about Robbie. It seemed everyone around wanted them to be together. Sure, they had been together when they dated, but Spencer broke it off for a reason. Maybe not a good one, but it's a reason.

"Fine. He came by yesterday and dropped some more of my stuff off." Spencer explained her gaze falling on the spot where she had set her cd and necklace.

"So, he's making excuses to drop by?" Brianna hinted and smiled at Spencer.

Spencer let out a laugh and shook her head. "Come on Brianna. No more talk about Robbie please." She begged and Brianna nodded her head.

"Okay, okay, no more talk about him…for now." She added and Spencer shook her head. She guessed that was what friends were for to tell you everything, wither you wanted to hear it or not.

"Thank you, I guess." Spencer responded and Brianna shook her head.

"I love you Spencer." She said and quickly hugged Spencer from a sideways angle. "Really I just dropped by here to tell you about my new boyfriend." She stated and when Spencer glanced at her she let out a giggle.

"Wow, give the details." Spencer said.

"Well…his name is Ryan, he's blonde, a sophomore and really cuuuute." She said and Spencer nodded her head.

"Sounds like he's a catch." She stated simply and Brianna nodded her head.

"I hope so." Brianna slide off of Spencer's bed and glanced at her friend. "I should go, we planned to get coffee tonight. We should hang tomorrow though, okay?" Brianna asked.

Spencer nodded her head and smiled at Brianna. "Yeah, okay." She agreed.

After Brianna scooped down and hugged Spencer she walked out of the dorm, shutting the door behind her.

000

The next day Spencer woke up before her alarm clock even went off. She pushed herself up in bed and stared ahead of her. Butterflies were in her stomach and Spencer felt more nervous then she had for a long time. Ashley Davies. The Ashley Davies would be showing up at her dorm room door and Spencer didn't know what to do.

Spencer's gaze fell on her closet and she realized she should get dressed. She didn't know when Ashley would show up, but Spencer was pretty sure she would want to be dressed when she did. Spencer slipped out of her bed and walked to her closet. Starign at her clothes Spencer finally decided with a purple tank top and jeans.

After slipping on the clothes Spencer brushed her hair alongside her mirror and put on some chap stick. Glancing at her clock Spencer saw that breakfast had just started in the cafeteria. Slipping on her shoes Spencer picked up her cell phone, purse and headed out of her dorm room.

Once Spencer reached the cafeteria she Brianna stalked up to her. "Hey friend." Brianna greeted Spencer and Spencer smiled at her.

"Brianna, what's up?" Spencer asked as the two fell into the breakfast line.

"I'm tired and hungry. Plus I need my coffee, that's what's up." Brianna joked running her hands through her brown hair.

"I feel your pain, seriously. But how was the date?" Spencer asked.

Brianna smiled and nodded her head. "It was amazing. Ryan is so great. We're going out again this weekend." Brianna explained and Spencer smiled at her friend. She was glade that she had found someone else, Brianna was the kind to take breakups hard. And she had really taken her last breakup hard, she even missed a weeks worth of classes over it.

"I'm happy for you Brianna." Spencer stated and Brianna smield at her.

"I only wish I could say the same for you." Brianna joked and Spencer shook her head.

"Come on Brianna…" Spencer pleaded as their line moved and the two reached the food.

"Sorry Spencer." Brianna stated recovering her mistake.

Spencer nodded her head and reached for a tray. Holding firmly to the sides Spencer waited until the line moved to where she could reach the bagels and cream cheese. Spencer took a plain white bagel with Strawberry cream cheese, her favorite breakfast meal of all time.

The line moved to the coffee and Spencer poured herself a cup and took a few caplets of creamer. After Brianna had finished pouring her own coffee the two girl made their way to a table and plopped their trays on it. "Coffee!" Brianna stated and took a sip of the liquid as Spencer laughed at the scene.

Brianna could be a little crazy sometimes, but she got along with Spencer probably better then anyone else on campus. It was just one of those 'tag you're now my friend' thing. But Spencer was okay with it, Brianna was a pretty decent person that she liked to hang around.

"I totally agree." Spencer mumbled as she took a sip of her own coffee.

The two sat at the table and quickly drank their coffee and at their food while talking about anything that could hold interest to them.

And all the while Spencer could help but think of what exactly was going to happen once Ashley Davies showed up.


	4. Chapter 4

**Title: **Changing Hearts And Minds  
**Author: **Freeing Alys  
**Rating: **T  
**Pairing: **Spashley[Spencer/Ashley  
**Summary: **Spencer is at college and things are going good, then Ashley shows up out of nowhere half a year after their fallout and Spencer's whole world is turned around.  
**Disclaimer: **I DO NOT own South Of Nowhere or any of the charectors or story plots. Those all belong to CTV, The-N and anyone else affiliated. I'm JUST a fan, trying to improve my writing skills. I'm not making any profit off of this at all. No copywrite infridgement intended.  
**Author's Note: **Thanks to my reviewers! I really hope that I'm doing you justice with this chapter. Thanks for sticking by. :)

**Chapter Four**

After breakfast Spencer walked back to her dorm room. When she reached the door she fished out her key from her purse quickly and unlocked the door. As she walked into the room she noticed that Aubrey wasn't in, which wasn't that big of a surprise. Whenever Aubrey got a new boyfriend she usually didn't spend all that much time coop up in the dorm room.

While letting out a sigh Spencer tossed her purse on her bed and walked over to her desk. It was like instinct as of lately, she walked into her dorm and headed straight for her desk. The whole studying thing started to drill itself into Spencer's mind and it was something that she just did, she never even had to think about it.

Spencer leafed through her books and notebooks before her head started to spin and she couldn't think anymore. Glancing at her alarm clock she saw that it was one in the afternoon. Sliding off of her bed she walked over to her phone and checked for missed calls, but she had none.

Walking around her dorm Spencer felt the nervousness rush to her stomach, she couldn't take waiting around for Ashley to show up any longer. Spencer just wanted to get this over with. A quick visit from Ashley and then things would be done with it. A knock on Spencer's door caused her to stop walking. She glanced at the wood and let out a sigh, it had to be her.

Walking quickly to the door Spencer pulled open the door quickly and found herself staring at Ashley Davies. Ashley smiled at Spencer and let out a little giggle. "Spencer! How's it going?" She asked as she pulled Spencer into a quick hug.

"Ashley." Spencer responded once Ashley let her out of the hug and she stepped aside to let Ashley in the dorm.

"Wow, you're really living the whole college life aren't you?" Ashley asked walking around the room and taking it all in.

Spencer crossed her arms over her chest and nodded her head. "Yeah Ashley. It's a dream." Spencer added mumbling the words out.

Ashley walked over to Spencer's side of the dorm and glanced at her old girlfriend. "Let me guess, this is your side right?" She asked taking her bag off of her shoulder and dropping it to the ground.

Spencer nodded her head and smiled at Ashley. "Yeah, it is." She answered and Ashley nodded her head.

"I figured. Spencer, the organized girl." Ashley stated and glanced at Spencer's desk. "Wow, and quite a studier too." She added taking in the books and notebooks.

Spencer walked over to Ashley and followed her gaze to the top of Spencer's desk. "It's midterm time." Spencer explain and Ashley nodded her head.

"It's been awhile." Ashley said and Spencer could feel her eyes burning into her bare skin. It was a feeling that Spencer used to love to feel, but now it just made Spencer feel odd and uncomfortable.

"Yeah. The last we even said two words to each other was graduation right?" Spencer asked glancing up at Ashley who nodded her head.

"And I think they were 'good luck'."

Spencer laughed and nodded her head. "Yeah." Spencer walked away from Ashley and her desk and sat on her bed.

"So, do you know why Glenn called me wanting me to come visit you?" Ashley asked crossing her arms around her stomach.

Spencer shook her head and smiled. "No. I thought maybe you could clarify that one for me. How did he even get your number?" Spencer asked the question that had been nagging at her for awhile finally coming out.

Ashley rolled her eyes and looked at the ground. "Probably Aiden. Those two have been going out for drinks every once in awhile you know." Ashley explained and Spencer nodded her head knowingly.

Even though Spencer hadn't really talked to Aiden for awhile-their only communication having been e-mails every once in awhile-she knew that Glenn had been talking to Aiden and hanging out with him. "Yeah." Spencer sighed out and she watched as Ashley walked around her dorm looking at everything that Spencer had out.

Ashley paused at the books and read each title carefully. "I don't remember you being a big reader." Ashley commented and Spencer shrugged her shoulders.

"I picked it up during summer." Spencer explained and Ashley nodded her head.

"Oh." Ashley crossed from the books to the pictures that Spencer had on an end table and Spencer felt her stomach sink when she realized what Ashley would find. "Who's the guy you have your arms wrapped around?" She asked glancing at Spencer with a curious look, the one that asked if Spencer was being completely truthful.

Spencer shrugged her shoulders as she tried to think of a quick explanation. "Just a friend." She finally went with and she watched Ashley nod her head.

"Okay." She stated then she sat on the bed next to Spencer. "So…you don't okay?" Ashley asked and Spencer knew that she was reaching for anything to talk about.

Spencer nodded her head and stared at her comforter. "Yeah, I mean life is stressful and everything. But it's good here, I have friends, a place to belong, it's good."

Ashley smiled at Spencer and lightly touched her hand. "I'm glade." Ashley said and Spencer glanced back up her, matching Ashley's smile.

"What about you? What have you been doing?" Spencer asked not really expecting to hear about college or anything, but she knew Ashley had to be up to something.

"Oh you know…this and that. I've just been bouncing around different places to live, working dead end jobs…nothing as great as you." Ashley added eyeballing Spencer's dorm room again.

Spencer nodded her head, she was expecting that from Ashley. "So what, you're not doing anything you love to do?" Spencer asked, the two of them had never discussed dreams or plans, but Spencer figured Ashley had to love something.

Ashley shook her head, making her dark curls move around her shoulders. "No. Working is my thing, you won't believe all the jobs I've had. I was a waitress, a zoo keeper, a barista, and loads of other things." Ashley explained and Spencer nodded her head, not all that impressed. She figured Ashley might've attempted to have done something.

"Sounds…nice."

Ashley rolled her eyes at Spencer. "Come on Spencer, you know me, I live for adventure. I'm happy, it's all that matters. Can you say that?" Ashley asked, her tone growing judgemental and Spencer hated it.

"Yeah, I can Ashley." Spencer answered.

The two locked eyes for a minute, both of them holding back things they had wanted to say to each other for months as the door to Spencer's dorm room swung open. "Oh hey." Spencer turned her head to face the door and saw Aubrey staring at the both of them.

"Hey Aubrey." Spencer stated and she jumped off her bed. "What's up?"

Aubrey smiled at both Spencer and Ashley and shrugged her shoulders. "Not much, I have a date later is all. Do you want me to leave?" Aubrey asked Spencer glancing at Ashley.

Spencer shook her head and let out a laugh. "Oh no. Sorry this is Ashley…Ashley this is Aubrey, my roomie." Spencer introduced.

Ashley waved her hand at Aubrey as Aubrey did the same. "Hey." Ashley stated.

"Hi. Nice to meet you." Aubrey replied. "So how do you know each other? I mean, that's not personal is it?" Aubrey asked glancing from Spencer to Ashley and back again.

"No, no. We just…you know…we knew each other in high school." Spencer sputtered out and she glanced at Ashley who shot a glance at her.

"Oh yeah, we're just **buddies** from school." Ashley added sarcasm dripping from her voice.

Spencer let out a drawn out sigh and glanced back at Aubrey. "Oh." Aubrey stated then she turned back towards her side of the room and sat on her bed.

Spencer glanced back at Ashley who looked mad. While crossing her arms back over her chest she watched as Ashley shook her head. "You're something Spencer, really." Ashley stated and she walked towards the door of the dorm room.

Spencer sighed and walked after Ashley. "Ashley come on!" Spencer stated as Ashley walked out of the door. Spencer followed Ashley out and shut the door behind her.

"Ashley, come on." Spencer said as she watched Ashley stop in the middle of the hall.

"Just whatever Spencer." Ashley said.

"Give me a break Ashley. Things are hard and stressful for me. It's all fun and easy like it is for you." Spencer told Ashley and she watched the other girl roll her eyes.

"That's such crap and you know it." Ashley stated and Spencer shook her head.

"Fine. Whatever Ashley, believe what you want." Spencer said and Ashley started to walk away from Spencer.

"Good! I will." Ashley walked quickly down the hall and Spencer watched her, wishing that she could figure out what was going through Ashley's head.


	5. Chapter 5

**Title: **Changing Hearts And Minds  
**Author: **Freeing Alys  
**Rating: **T  
**Pairing: **Spashley[Spencer/Ashley  
**Summary: **Spencer is at college and things are going good, then Ashley shows up out of nowhere half a year after their fallout and Spencer's whole world is turned around.  
**Disclaimer: **I DO NOT own South Of Nowhere or any of the charectors or story plots. Those all belong to The-N and anyone else affiliated. I'm JUST a fan, trying to improve my writing skills. I'm not making any profit off of this at all. No copywrite infridgement intended.  
**Author's Note: **Thanks toDushkusBitch, I realized that I had put CTV as the owner of SoN, which it's not. Thanks for letting me know that! And thanks to all of my reviewers, you guys are awesome. Thank you for reading.

**Chapter Five**

Spencer watched as Ashley turned the corner and disappeared from Spencer's view. Letting out an angry sigh and walked back into her dorm room. Shutting the door firmly behind her Spencer walked over to her side of the room and sat on her bed. "Wow, that was something…" Aubrey stated and Spencer glanced over at her.

Spencer plastered a smile on her face and nodded. "Yeah, Ashley's just a little touchy about things." Spencer explained and Aubrey nodded her head in understanding.

"What did she mean about the buddies thing?" Aubrey asked and Spencer felt her heart speed up.

"Nothing." Spencer stated and turned from Aubrey.

"Okay." Aubrey breathed out and went back to reading the book that she reading.

Spencer let out another sigh and shook her head. Ashley Davies, she was just the girl the shake up her whole entire world. It seemed like the girl just kept doing it again and again.

000

Spencer sat at her desk that evening going over her notes before Brianna was supposed to show up, they had planned to watch a movie together in Spencer's dorm for that night. Spencer glanced at the notes, reading all of the notes that she had been writing down the last week, trying to make sure everything was in check for her to take her midterm in three days.

The information was starting to finally sink into Spencer's brain and she was starting to feel better about being able to pass the midterm. Spencer fell back in her chair just as a knock from the outside of her room erupted in her ears.

Spencer walked to her door and pulled it open. "Hey Bri…" She started but stopped once she saw who it was. Ashley Davies stood in front of her a sad expression on her face. She was dressed in jeans and a mid-drift shirt and her hair was pulled into a loose pony-tail. "Ashley." Spencer breathed out and the other girl gave her a small smile.

"Sorry. I didn't know you'd be expecting someone…"Ashley trailed off before turning from Spencer.

Spencer walked towards Ashley. "Ashley, wait. What's up?"

Ashley rolled her eyes as she gazed down at her bag. "Just my stupidity. I thought I had enough money to stay in a hotel for the next couple of days. But I don't." She explained and Spencer nodded her head and she glanced back towards her dorm.

"Well, stay in my dorm. I mean you were here to see me right?" Spencer asked and Ashley glanced at her.

"Yeah." She replied and Spencer smiled.

"I know I pissed you off. But you can't just stay on the streets. Crash on my bed or floor or whatever for the next while. I don't care." Spencer offered and Ashley smiled at her.

"Okay fine. But only because I am desperate." She stated and walked past Spencer into her dorm, who followed Ashley with a shake of her head.

"So who were you expecting?" Ashley asked after she tossed her bag on the floor and plopped on Spencer's bed.

"Oh…my friend Brianna, we planned for a movie night. But I doubt she'll care if you join." Spencer added walking over to her desk chair and sitting in it.

"Yeah, just as long as she doesn't know who I am right?" Ashley asked picking on Spencer's comforter.

"Whatever Ashley." Spencer mumbled her gaze falling on the floor.

"No, Spencer. Not whatever." Ashley countered and Spencer glanced back up at her, Ashley's tone surprising Spencer.

"What?"

Ashley let out a sigh and shook her head. "Come on. What is it with you and only being who you are when it's okay with you? You can't keep changing and changing your mind. Others are involved." Ashley told Spencer.

Spencer stared at Ashley, not even knowing what to say or how to respond. She was at a complete loss. "Hello?" Spencer glanced up and saw that Brianna was standing in the door way of the dorm.

Spencer broke eye contact with Ashley and glanced up at her friend. "Brianna, hey! I hope you don't mind, my friend Ashley is going to join us." Spencer said pointed at Ashley.

Brianna smiled at Ashley and nodded her head. "Yeah sure. A friend of Spencer's is a friend of mine."

Ashley matched Brianna's smile and nodded her head. "Yeah, same here." She responded and Brianna sat on the bed next to Ashley and Spencer.

"I brought _Hide and Seek_, sound good?" Brianna asked holding out the cd case.

Spencer nodded her head, with Ashley's words still in her mind Spencer could barely even concentrate on what Brianna was saying. "Yeah."

Brianna glanced at Ashley who nodded her head. "Yeah, I love that movie." She agreed and Brianna walked over to Spencer's tv and DVD player nad popped the movie in.

Spencer and Ashley settled against the headboard of Spencer's bed while Brianna laid along the end of the bed. Spencer glanced at Ashley as the movie started and she started to understand where Ashley was coming from.

Letting out a sigh Spencer realized she was most like herself when she was at King High with Ashley. Those years were the only time that she was herself to her fullest. After Ashley Spencer didn't even know what to do, so she went along with the original plan-the plan Spencer had made before Ashley-and went to Berekley and tried to act like life was perfect.

But that was a lot harder then Spencer really imagined it would be. For starters she hadn't even managed to be truthful with her friend and roommate. Shakign her head Spencer realized she was a mess. An unworthy mess.

000

After the movie was finished Brianna scooted off the bed and walked over to the DVD player and switched the movie off. As she pulled the movie out of the DVD player Ashley let out a sigh and stood off the bed. "I have to pee." She announced and Spencer let out a small laugh at her outburst.

"Yeah, the bathroom is out the door to the right and like a few doors down. You won't miss it." Spencer explained and Ashley nodded her head before leaving the dorm.

Brianna finished putting the DVD away and glanced at Spencer. "So, what was that whole thing you were arguing about when I came in before?" Brianna asked and Spencer let out a small sigh, she was scared that Brianna had heard that. Now she either had a whole lot of explaining to do or a whole lot of lying to do. And Spencer couldn't figure out which one.

"Well…um…" Spencer ducked her head down and started to pick at the blanket again trying to put her thoughts together to be able to explain it to Brianna.

Brianna let out a sigh and sat on Spencer's bed next to Spencer. "Just tell me Spencer. Like I'll care what you say, we're friends right?" Brianna asked and Spencer glanced up at her. It was then that Spencer realized she had been overlooking Brianna the whole time. She thought that Brianna would judge her or hate her or something…but maybe she wouldn't.

"Ashley was my…girlfriend in high school." Spencer explained and Brianna nodded her head.

"Well, that does make a whole lot of sense." Brianna said and Spencer shot her a confused look. "What? I mean, you guys have chemistry, something is there obviously." Brianna stated and Spencer let out a laugh.

"Yeah okay. Just don't tell anyone else okay? I'll tell people when I'm ready." Spencer mumbled ashamed that she that stupid secret, she should've just bee truthful from the start. Now she had a hell of damage control to do.

"Okay Spencer I won't. But you should've misjudge and not trust people so much. We will understand you know." Brianna explained and Spencer nodded her head, she really should've known that from the start. "I'm your friend Spencer, which means we take each other as is, right?"

"Yeah." Spencer mumbled as Brianna reached over and hugged Spencer.

"I'll see you tomorrow okay?" She asked and Spencer nodded her head.

"Sure. You want to meet me and Ashley for breakfast?" Spencer asked and Brianna nodded her head.

Brianna stood off Spencer's bed and walked towards the door as it was pulled open and Ashley walked back into the room. "Bye Ashley." Brianna stated walking past Ashley.

"Bye." Ashley matched and she watched Brianna walk out of the room and shut the door. "So, you told her huh?" Ashley guessed.

Spencer nodded her head and shot Ashley a glance. "Yeah…how did you know?"

Ashley shrugged her shoulders and walked over to Spencer. "Well she did look at me different…and well that look on your face."

Spencer laugh and tossed a pillow at Ashley. "Shut up!" She let out and watched Ashley smile at her. Spencer realized that she missed Ashley. They had always been great together, and Spencer had loved being around her. "I'm glade you're here." Spencer mumbled and Ashley nodded her head.

"I might hate you right now…but so am I." Ashley agreed and Spencer stood up off her bed.

"Okay, the floor or bed?" Spencer asked glancing at Ashley.

Ashley shrugged and glanced at the ground. "I'll just take the ground. I mean you need your beauty sleep for your classes right?" Ashley asked and Spencer nodded.

"I sure do." She agreed and let out a laugh.

The two quickly moved things around, giving each other enough room and a comfortable space to sleep. Spencer tossed Ashley her extra blanket and pillows. After they were situated Spencer stood in her jeans and tank top and didn't know what her next move would be. She crossed her arms over her chest and stared at her night clothes.

Ashley caught her glancing at her clothes and let out a laugh. "It's fine Spencer. You want me to like turn around or leave or something?" Ashley asked and Spencer let out a nervous laugh.

"Turning around sounds good." Spencer mumbled and she picked up at her clothes and tossed them on her bed.

"Okay." Ashley turned around from Spencer and Spencer quickly took off her clothes of the day and pulled on her night clothes. She pulled down her tee-shirt and tossed her old clothes into her hamper and let out a sigh.

"Alright." Spencer stated and Ashley turned back around. "You want something? I mean, these are my only set…but I could find something." Spencer offered and Ashley shook her head.

"No, I'm fine." Ashley stated. "I've been sleeping in my clothes for ages, it doesn't bug me anymore."

Spencer nodded her head and sat in her bed, pulling her comforter over her knees. "Okay. Night Ashley."

Ashley laid down on the floor, resting her head against the pillow and pulling the blanket over her. "Yeah, night." She mumbled and Spencer shut her eyes.

Spencer let out a sigh as she waited for sleep to take her over and prayed that everything would work out fine. She just wanted the next couple of days to pass, with Ashley and her English Midterm, Spencer was just a little stressed out.


	6. Chapter 6

**Title: **Changing Hearts And Minds  
**Author: **Freeing Alys  
**Rating: **T  
**Pairing: **Spashley[Spencer/Ashley  
**Summary: **Spencer is at college and things are going good, then Ashley shows up out of nowhere half a year after their fallout and Spencer's whole world is turned around.  
**Disclaimer: **I DO NOT own South Of Nowhere or any of the charectors or story plots. Those all belong to The-N and anyone else affiliated. I'm JUST a fan, trying to improve my writing skills. I'm not making any profit off of this at all. No copywrite infridgement intended.  
**Author's Note: **I really hope this chapter was written okay and is up to pare with this story and what you guys have been expecting. I was just starting to get blocked and I had to write something…so this came out. I hope you enjoy. Any constructive criticism is encouraged. Thanks.

**Chapter Six**

"God Spencer. Can't you hear that?" Spencer opened her eyes and saw a tired Ashley walking over to her alarm clock, her eyes barely open. Spencer glanced at her alarm that read five past nine. Spencer shook her head and rubbed at her own eyes.

The alarm clock apparently had been going off for five minutes, and Spencer didn't even hear it. That was weird for Spencer, she was always up the second that her alarm went off. "Sorry. I never sleep late." Spencer mumbled sitting up in bed and watched Ashley rub at her eyes.

"Whatever. I'm hungry." Ashley stated and Spencer laughed.

"Good, because we're meeting Brianna for breakfast. So get ready, breakfast is over in like thirty minutes." Spencer mumbled knowing that Brianna would be at the dorm soon.

Ashley walked over to Spencer's mirror, rubbed at her face and turned back around. "Okay I'm ready!" She exclaimed and Spencer shook her head.

"I still need to get dressed." Spencer said and scooted off of her bed. She walked over to her closet and pulled out another pair of jeans and a tee-shirt. Spencer grabbed at the clothes and stared at Ashley, who was staring back at her.

Ashley grinned and nodded her head. "Oh yeah…I'll just turn around." She let out a laugh spun on her left foot.

"Are you making fun of me?" Spencer asked feeling stupid that Ashley had to turn around. It was a little grade school, but she was her ex.

"No, no. I'm just not used to it is all. I've been bouncing around living with friends and we all just get dressed in front of each other." Ashley explained and Spencer nodded her head as she finished getting dressed.

"Uh-huh. And were you sleeping with these said 'friends'?" Spencer asked doing air quotes when she said the word, friends.

Ashley turned around and grinned at Spencer. "Maybe."

Spencer laughed and shook her head. "Wow, I have really missed you Ashley Davies."

Ashley tilted her head and stared at Spencer. "Was that sarcasm I heard?" She asked and Spencer shook her head.

"No. I mean it." She said softly and Ashley tilted her head back up right and nodded at Spencer.

"I know. I missed you too." Ashley replied.

Spencer smiled then crossed her arms over her chest. "I'm kind of glade. I've felt weird here at college all alone…" Spencer started trying to tell Ashley how weird she felt ebign alone and unlike herself with Ashley but then a knock on the door rang out. Spencer jumped slightly and Ashley let out a laugh.

"Coming!" She called and skipped over to the door and swung it open. "Hey." Ashley greeted Brianna and Brianna walked into the door.

"Hey Ashley." She smiled at Spencer's friend and then at Spencer. "Ready?"

Spencer glanced at the ground and nodded her head. The more that Spencer was with Ashley, the more that Spencer started to realize the whole reason she had been keeping a cover in college was because she didn't have Ashley. The rest of her life when she was openly gay, she had Ashley right there with her. It was hard for Spencer to go through it all alone. She missed having Ashley be there for her and with her.

000

Spencer drank the last sip of her coffee and watched as Brianna and Ashley laughed about a tale that Ashley had told. One about the many houses she had lived in with three other girls. Spencer really did find it all that amusing, but Brianna sure did. Spencer shook her head and couldn't believe how much her and Ashley had in common.

Brianna glanced at Spencer and saw her not laughing along. "Come on Spencer. That was funny, admit it." Brianna stated and Spencer shrugged her shoulders.

Ashley had just told a quick story about how the third roommate walked in on Ashley and the second roommate…in the bathroom. It might've been funny, but Spencer wasn't getting it. It might've been the fact that Ashley kept rambling about all the girls she had been with, which wasn't something Spencer ever liked to ear about. "Oh yeah…it…was." Spencer spat out, trying her best to not let her messed up feelings show.

Brianna rolled her eyes and Ashley laughed. "Whatever…I guess it just doesn't mount up to when your mom walked in…" Ashley started before Spencer's eyes grew wide and she shot up in her chair.

"Ashley! Don't you even." Spencer warned and Ashley let out a laugh and sat back in her chair.

Spencer glanced over at Brianna who was sitting in her own chair with a confused look on her face. "I guess I missed the punch-line." She stated and Spencer nodded glancing back at Ashley.

"Yeah, everyone except for Ashley." Spencer stated and glared at Ashley. "It's not funny." She added watching Ashley laugh in her chair.

"No. But the look on your face was." Ashley said and started laughing again.

Spencer shook her head as she remembered that night, the night her mom had walked in on her and Ashley, giving Spencer's secret away-the one she had taken time to hide for months. That was probably the worst night and day of Spencer's life, it wasn't a memory she could even think about laughing at. No matter what anyone's face looked liked. "How can you laugh about it?" Spencer asked staring at Ashley, almost forgetting that Brianna was sitting right next to her.

"Spencer…I was just kidding." Ashley said glanced down at her coffee cup and back at Spencer. "Sorry…I was just trying to cover the akwardness."

"You okay Spencer?" Brianna asked and Spencer glanced over at her.

"Sure. Sorry." She mumbled and Brianna lightly touched her on the arm.

"It's fine." She said and Spencer saw her glance at Ashley.

"I have to pee." Ashley stated and Spencer let out a laugh, not beign able to control it.

"Follow the signs. I'm sure you can figure it out." She told AShely.

Ashley stood out of her chair and stuck her tongue out at Spencer. "I will." She stated and turned from the table, leaving Brianna laughing.

"Wow, you and Ashley really do have history huh?" Brianna asked and Spencer glanced at her.

"Sorry about that. It's just…those years aren't ones I'd laugh about. At least the parts where my mom was involved anyway." Spencer explained and Brianna nodded her head.

"You're mom doesn't like it?" Brianna asked and Spencer nodded her head.

"You could say that."

Brianna smiled at Spencer and shrugged her shoulders. "She's not here now though is she?"

Spencer glanced at Brianna then nodded her head. She was right, nothing was in her way of Ashley this time…except for maybe herself. It was an odd feeling for Spencer, it was all up to her, no matter what. "Yeah." Spencer stated and nodded her head. "I guess."

"Okay, what is next on our list?" Ashley asked plopping back down at their table.

"I have class in like ten minutes." Brianna stated while glancing at her watch.

"I have class in a couple hours. We could take a walk outside until then." Spencer suggested and Ashley nodded her head.

"Yeah." Ashley and Spencer stood from the table and Spencer smiled at Brianna.

"See you later?"

Brianna nodded her head and nodded. "Yeah." She agreed.

"Bye Brianna!" Ashley called as she and Spencer walked from the table. "I like her." Ashley stated once they reached the doors and walked outside.

Spencer nodded her head and clasped her hands together. "Yeah, she's nice."

Ashley glanced at Spencer with a curious look on her face nad Spencer knew what was coming. She knew Ashley Davies all too well. "So you haven't told anyone anything about yourself? Your family, anything?" Ashley asked and Spencer shook her head.

"No. I mean I told Brianna about my parents and their jobs, about Glenn and Cal State and Clay and Cal State and Chelsea and the baby. But I didn't go into detail." Spencer admitted glancing at the grass as she and Ashley walked over it.

"Wow Spencer. I just never thought you'd do that. Hide who you are. It's not good you know." Ashley said and Spencer nodded her head. She knew that, she was the one living the life. But it was hard for Spencer, she wasn't as frank as Ashley was.

"I know Ashley. But come on. The only time anyone ever knew I was gay or whatever was when I was with you. I've never done it all alone. It's hard."

Ashley nodded her head and crossed her arms. "Yeah Spencer. But it's a hell a lot easier being you. I mean, was it easy lying to Brianna all that time? Or Aubrey? Or that guy? That had to have been harder."

Spencer weighed those thoughts and she figured that AShely was right. She should've just gone into it being real and truthful. Not hiding herself. "I know. It was."

Ashley nodded and stopped under a tree. "Let's sit." She offered and she and Spencer plopped unto the ground.

Spencer glanced at the grass and started to pick it in with her fingers. "That's why I always liked you Ashley…you helped me to be me. I don't know how to do it without you." Spencer admitted and Ashley nodded her head.

"I know. But you need to figure out who you are and be that person Spencer. Don't think about rules or the society or your parents or you friends. Think about you." Ashley told Spencer.

Spencer nodded her head and picked more of the grass. "I don't think I've ever done that. I'm just not daring and wild like you. I follow the rules." Spencer glanced back up at Ashley who nodded her head.

"Okay so what not being straight is breaking the rules? What rules?" Ashley asked and Spencer shrugged her shoulders.

"The rules my mom set. The rules boys who want to date me want me to follow. The rules the people who'll hate me set. I don't know." Spencer mumbled and Ashley scooted closer to Ashley.

"Spencer. It's not hard really. Just follow your heart." Ashley stated.

Spencer shook her head and shrugged her shoulders. "I really don't know what it's saying."

Ashley smiled at Spencer and nodded. "Okay. Then I say screw it." Ashley laughed and Spencer followed her lead.

"Yeah, that sounds good." Spencer shook her head and glanced back at Ashley who was still laughing. "I did miss you." Spencer stated and Ashley stopped laughing.

"Yeah. In high school after our fallout I always thought we'd get back together last second. But we never did. And before I knew it you were gone and I didn't know where." Ashley replied.

"Well, now you do." Spencer countered lightly shrugging her shoulders.

Ashley smiled and nodded her head. "Yeah."

Spencer caught Ashley's eye and they stared at each other until Ashley broke it. "What?" Spencer asked taking in Ashley's upset glance.

"You're confused Spencer, I don't think it's a good thing to think about…" Ashley let the sentence fall, but Spencer knew what she was talking about. And she knew that Ashley was right.

"Yeah. I guess." Spencer agreed, but she had missed being with Ashlye and now that Ashley was back in her life, she was starting to realize just how much. Being with Ashley was the most free tiem of her life. For the first time in sixteen years Spencer was able to be herself around one person and she didn't have to worry about anything. "I really don't know how to get unconfused though."

Ashley shrugged her shoulders and glanced at Spencer. "Easy. Who do you want to be with?" Ashley asked.

Spencer glanced at Ashley and shrugged her shoulders. "Right now?" She asked and Ashley nodded. "Honestly? I can't see myself with anyone but you." Spencer mumbled and Ashley bent her head low and then back up to glance at Spencer.

"Spencer." She mumbled and Spencer shrugged her shoulders.

"You have always been the person to help me be me. And I haven't been that person-that person that I started to like in high school-since high school. I miss her Ashley. I think that's what's wrong, really." Spencer explained and Ashley shrugged her shoulders.

"Okay." She said and looked at Spencer. The two stared at each other until they pulled towards one another and their lips lightly touched in a small kiss. Spencer kissed Ashley and felt right for the first time since she moved into her dorm room at Berkeley. Nothing felt more like home to Spencer then beign with Ashley, and in that moment Spencer realized that.

"Spencer?" Spencer pulled back from Ashley and glanced over her shoulder.

Spencer shook her head at the realization of who she was staring at. Robbie. "H-h-hey." She greeted her ex-boyfriend who looked really confused.


	7. Chapter 7

**Title: **Changing Hearts And Minds  
**Author: **Freeing Alys  
**Rating: **T  
**Pairing: **Spashley[Spencer/Ashley  
**Summary: **Spencer is at college and things are going good, then Ashley shows up out of nowhere half a year after their fallout and Spencer's whole world is turned around.  
**Disclaimer: **I DO NOT own South Of Nowhere or any of the charectors or story plots. Those all belong to The-N and anyone else affiliated. I'm JUST a fan, trying to improve my writing skills. I'm not making any profit off of this at all. No copywrite infridgement intended.

**Chapter Seven**

"Spencer…what's going on?" Robbie asked his gaze on Ashley. He took her in, making note on everything about her, Spencer could tell from his expression. She had only dated Robbie for a couple of months, but Spencer had learned a lot about him in that time.

"Nothing. Just hanging out with Ashley, my old…" Spencer glanced at Ashley and watched her cross her arms over her chest and flash Spencer a look. Spencer was confused enough about what kind of relationship she wanted with Ashley exactly, but she wasn't going to push her away again. She was lucky Ashley had even come back the first time. Plus it was time to start being honest with herself and other people.

"You're what?" Robbie asked, not meaning to sound upset, but Spencer could tell that he was. She couldn't really blame him thoguth, Spencer was smart enough to know that guys never liked to see their ex-girlfriends kissing girls.

"My ex-girlfriend from high school." Spencer sputtered out and she watched Robbie shrug his shoulders and let out a small laugh.

"What is going on Spencer?" Robbie asked again and Spencer glanced voer at Ashley who was carefully stepping away from the scene.

"You know…I'll just see you later tonight Spencer." She mumbled and Spencer stepped towards her.

"Ashley, just wait okay?" Ashley glanced over at Robbie and Spencer knew what her problem was, explanign your ex-girlfriend to an ex-boyfriend isn't exactly a scene you want to be part of, especially if you're in the middle of it. Spencer let out a sigh and nodded her head. "Okay. Just meet me back at my dorm around seven okay? I'll be done with class then." Spencer mumbled and Ashley nodded her head.

"Bye." Ashley glanced back at Robbie and then walked away.

"Spencer…" Spencer glanced over at Robbie who was starting to look even more upset.

Spencer walked back over to Robbie and bent her head down and then back up again. "Sorry I didn't tell you." She breathed out and Robbie shrugged his shoulders.

"Tell me what exactly? What's going on with you?" Robbie asked while running his fingers through his blonde hair.

Spencer shook her head and let out a sigh. "Nothing is going on with me Robbie. Ashley just stopped by to visit me…we haven't seen each other since graduation."

Robbie shook his head and looked away from Spencer. "And that involves kissing her how?" Robbie asked while Spencer shrugged her shoulders.

"I'm not going to explain it to you Robbie. I don't need to." Spencer mumbled, knowing that her current status with Ashley-or anyone else-wasn't Robbie's business. Spencer brought her gaze back up and met Robbie's.

"Look, I really don't care about the past…what happened before. But what's going on now?" Spencer was really starting to get sick of that question. She let out another sigh and Spencer tried to figure out why she did this to herself again.

"It just happened Robbie." Spencer explained and Robbie nodded his head.

"Okay." He glanced at the ground and make up at Spencer, sadness etched in his eyes. "I just really like you Spencer…"

Spencer glanced away from Robbie and at the grass, she knew that, she just didn't know what to do about it. "I'm sorry Robbie. I don't know what to do."

Robbie placed his hands on Spencer's shoulders and she glanced back over at him. "I don't want to put you in a weird place Spencer…I just…" Robbie trailed off and Spencer knew that he didn't even know what to say.

"I know." She answered and Robbie smiled at Spencer.

"I really did love you." Robbie told Spencer and she nodded her head.

"Yeah Robbie. I liked you too…I just, I don't know anymore." Spencer admitted and Robbie nodded his head again.

"Figure it out Spencer. For everyone's sake."

Spencer nodded her head and took a step away from Robbie. "I will, I promise. And you'll be the first person to know what's going on." She promised and Robbie smiled at her.

"Okay Spencer. See you around okay?" He asked.

"Sure Robbie. 'Bye." Spencer said and turned away from Robbie.

Heaving a sigh Spencer wlaked quickly back to her dorm and felt glade that was over with. That had to have been the most uncomfortable situation she had been in since college.

Spencer glanced at her watch and realized she only had half an hour to get to class. Picking up her pace Spencer made it to her dorm roomk. While she was tossing books into her bag Spencer tried to figure out what her feelings for Ashley were exactly. Spencer knew that she liked Ashley, but Spencer didn't know if she was the one she wanted to date and be with. As Spencer sat on her bed she realized that if she did pcik Ashley she'd loose Robbie forever and if she picked Robbie she could most defiantly loose Ashley forever.

Sighing Spencer shook her head and tried to figure out what to do exactly. She liked Robbie, he was the first boy Spencer had been with seriously for a long time, and it was nice to be with him. Spencer wasn't completely truthful with him, so she couldn't be sure were they stood exactly, but she knew that when she was with him for those months that she dated him, she loved it. Thinking back on their breakup Spencer completely forgot why she even broke it off with him.

Robbie had been great to Spencer and he kept on being great to her even after they broke up. But there was something in the back of Spencer's mind as she dated Robbie and as she was with him. Seeing Ashley Spencer figured that it had been her. But Spencer couldn't even be sure.

And Ashley, she was amazing to Spencer. She was the girl who helped Spencer realize a part of herself that she had hidden for years for her family's sake. Ashley accepted Spencer and protected her and made her feel at home and safe. Ashley was that girl from the past who helped Spencer become herself.

Glancing back at her alarm clock Spencer stood off her bed and noted it was time for class. Spencer set her book bag strap on her shoulder and heaved another sigh. She'd figure it out after class, if at all.

000

After class Spencer made her way back to her dorm. As she approached the hall her dorm was in she saw Ashley sitting agasint her door. Spencer smiled as she saw Ashley and walked quickly down to her. "Hey…isn't Aubrey in?" Spencer asked pulling out her key.

Ashley shook her head as she pushed herself off the floor with both of her hands. "No. How was class?" Ashley asked crossing her arms over her stomach.

Spencer shrugged her shoulders and smiled at Ashley. "It was class." She answered and Ashley laughed.

"Which is why I'm so glade I'm not in school." Ashley stated as Spencer unlocked the door and swung it open.

Spencer laughed and shook her head. "I happen to like school." Spencer told Ashley.

Ashley rolled her eyes and shook her own head. "And that is why you're a freak." She answered.

Spencer let out another laugh and slugged Ashley playfully on the shoulder. "Shut up." She laughed out.

The touch brought an ackward feel to the room and Spencer cleared her throat quickly to break the silence. "S-so…how was Robbie?" Ashley asked plopping herself down on Spencer's bed.

"It was okay…I mean we're okay. But you know…he loves me." Spencer otld Ashley and Ashley shrugged her shoulders.

"So what…you guys are hooking back up?" Ashley asked staring at the ceiling.

Spencer shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know." She admitted.

"What do you mean?" Ashley asked, not breaking her gaze form the ceiling.

"I mean that I don't know about you or Robbie or anything." Spencer stated sitting next to Ashley on the bed.

"It's fine Spencer. I didn't come here to hook back up with you." Ashley told Spencer and Spencer rolled her eyes.

"Whatever Ashley." Spencer mumbled glancing at her old girlfriend.

"What?" Ashley asked sitting back up in the bed.

"I don't know! I mean, you would be pissed if I was with Robbie and just acted like we never happened." Spencer stated and Ashley slowly nodded her head.

"Yeah I would…but if that's the life you want Spencer have it." Ashley answered and Spencer shook her head.

"I don't know what to do." She breathed out.

Ashley adjusted herself on the bed and glanced at Spencer. "Earlier you did say you wanted to be with me. Then Robbie pops in and you're confused again?" Ashley asked and Spencer realized she was right. Spencer just didn't know what to do about any of it.

"I don't know!" Spencer exclaimed and Ashley quickly leaned over toward her and kissed her. "What was that?" Spencer asked after Ashley pulled back away.

"You just need to make up your mind and stick with it and be happy about it. Someone has to step up and apartently that's going to be me." Ashley snipped, a mad glare setting in on her face.

"Yeah I guess so." Spencer stated and glanced back at Ashley. Her lips tingled because of Ashley's touch against them and Spencer realized she wanted to feel it again. Spencer leaned over and kissed Ashley again on the lips.

Spencer fell into the kiss and forgot about everything, Robbie, school, her mom, friends, Aubrey, and just kissed Ashley like she used to in high school. Ashley reached her hands up to Spencer's neck and held her as she kissed Spencer back. Spencer moved her own fingers along Ashley's side as they fell against Spencer's headboard.

Spencer kissed Ashley and as their lips moved with each other Spencer recalled why she really loved Ashley in the first place. The memories from high school came flooding back to Spencer fast and it started to make sense to her. The feelings that Spencer had forgotten she had for Ashley sprung back into Spencer and Spencer liked the feeling.

At the sound of the doorknob turning Spencer sprung back off of Ashley as Aubrey walked into the room. "Hey guys!" Aubrey greeted the pair and Spencer nodded at her roommate.

"Hey." She said back. Licking her lips Spencer glanced at Ashley who was pulling at her clothes and smoothing her hair.

"What are you guys up to?" Aubrey asked and Spencer shrugged her shoulders.

"Not much." She stated and she heard Ashley let out a laugh.

"I have a date with Brain in a few…so I'll be out." Aubrey announced and Spencer nodded her head.

"Okay." She mumbled.

Spencer glanced back at Ashley and smiled at her, for the first time in awhile Spencer felt sure of her relationship status. Ashley was the person that she really loved, and even though the last time they had been together was high school Spencer figured that they could still manage it.

Ashley stood off the bed and started to pace around Spencer's room and Spencer tried to figure out what she was thinking. Raising her thumbnail to her mouth Ashley carefully chewed on it and Spencer watched her eyes flutter around the room. Sighing Spencer wished that Aubrey would be gone already so that they could talk to each other.

Spencer glanced back at Aubrey and saw her placing things in her bag, obviously she wasn't planning on returning that night. After tossing a few more things into the bag Aubrey glanced up at Spencer and smiled. "Okay, I'm out. See you later." She said and walked out of the room.

Spencer glanced back at Ashley once the door shut behind Aubrey and she smiled. "Well…" She said and Ashley glanced at her.

"Spencer…I want this either for real or not at all." Ashley stated taking her thumbnail out of her mouth. "I don't want your confused feelings or anything. I just want you or nothing."

Spencer nodded her head and looked back down at her bed. She was pretty sure that Ashley was what she wanted. "I think you're what I want." Spencer mumbled and Ashley sat back next to her on the bed.

"For real?" Ashley asked and Spencer met her glance.

Spencer thought about the question before answering it, she didn't want to do anything that would mess things up for Ashley. Spencer thought about Robbie nad her mom and knew they wouldn't be happy. For once though, Spencer didn't care. Spencer only cared about what she wanted, and at the moment she wanted Ashley Davies. "Yeah for real." She said and Ashley smiled at her.

"Okay." Ashley mumbled.

Spencer leaned forward and kissed Ashley on the lips again, sending shivers down her own spine.

Ashley welcomed the kiss as she leaned forward and fell on top of Spencer on the bed.


	8. Chapter 8

**Title: **Changing Hearts And Minds  
**Author: **Freeing Alys  
**Rating: **T  
**Pairing: **Spashley[Spencer/Ashley  
**Summary: **Spencer is at college and things are going good, then Ashley shows up out of nowhere half a year after their fallout and Spencer's whole world is turned around.  
**Disclaimer: **I DO NOT own South Of Nowhere or any of the charectors or story plots. Those all belong to The-N and anyone else affiliated. I'm JUST a fan, trying to improve my writing skills. I'm not making any profit off of this at all. No copywrite infridgement intended.

**Chapter Eight**

An hour later Spencer was in her tee-shirt while sprawled out next to Ashley on her bed as RENT played in the background on Spencer's DVD player. Ashley laughed at the scene and Spencer glanced up at her, a wide smile on her face. "I so missed you Ashley." Spencer mumbled in the dark room.

Ashley glanced down at Spencer and nodded her head. "Yeah, I missed you too Spencer." Ashley matched.

Spencer sat up in the bed and brought her knees to her chest. She glanced over at Ashley enjoying the movie and Spencer knew that she made the right decision. Spencer and Ashley hadn't been apart for each other for that long, but Spencer managed to miss life without Ashley in that time.

Smiling to herself Spencer glanced down at her bed and felt happy, she was glade that she had did what she did. Spencer thought back on the couple of months that she had been in Berkeley and realized she was finally happy in it. Life hadn't been that great for Spencer since leaving King High and going off to college alone. But now that Ashley was back in the picture Spencer felt safer and better in her life.

Glancing at her bare feet Spencer didn't know if she was just trying to fill a hole by putting Ashley back in her life or if it was because she loved her, but Spencer felt happy. And it was the only thing that Spencer was thinking about. "This part is great." Ashley stated pointing her finger at the screen.

Spencer looked at the tv and watched the part as Ashley laugh and then Spencer glanced back at her. "I'm kind of tired." Spencer admitted holding back a yawn.

Ashley glanced at Spencer and nodded her head. "Yeah, me too. A big day tomorrow I have to get a job so I can find an apartment." Ashley satated and Spencer nodded her head.

"Yeah and I have…" Spencer glanced at her desk and took in the notebooks and books. Then the realization of what the next day was popped into Spencer's mind and she let out a groan. "I have midterms tomorrow!" She exclaimed and Ashley glancedat Spencer with a concerned look on her face.

"Wow, you should really get some sleep them." She commented and Spencer nodded her head.

"Thank you." She stated and slipped under the covers.

Ashley smiled at Spencer as she slipped under the covers. "No problem."

Spencer let out a groaned and closed her eyes. She prayed that she would be able to pass the midterm with everything that had been going on.

000

"I'm so late!" Spencer exclaimed tossing books into her bag and looking at Ashley.

"I'm sorry. Pushing the off button on alarms is just a natural reaction." Ashley explained while sitting on the bed.

Spencer glared over at Ashley and shook her head. That morning Ashley was the one laying closest to the alarm clock and she pushed the off button before Spencer woke up. Leading up to Spencer waking up twenty minutes before her class and the midterm. Spencer shook her head and set her back pack on her shoulders. "It's fine. My fault, I should've been paying attention."

Ashley smiled at Spencer and stood off the bed. "Just relax, you'll do fine. And while you are doing fine in the midterm, I will be findig a job and apartment." Ashley promised and Spencer nodded her head.

"Okay. See you this afternoon?" Spencer asked.

Ashley nodded her head and kissed Spencer on the shook. "Yeah." She mumbled and the two headed towards the dorm's door.

After they both walked out and Spencer locked the door the pair headed in their own directions. Spencer let out a sigh as she picked up her pace and walked towards the hall the midterm was going to be taken in.

Thinking back to Ashley Spencer was glade that she was moving near Spencer. It might sound selfish btu Spencer didn't want Ashley to have to live away from Spencer. Spencer really wanted and needing Ashley. "Spencer!" Spencer spun around and saw Brianna running up to her.

"Heading to midterm?" Brianna asked heaving out breaths.

Spencer nodded and smiled at her friend. "Yeah. I'm really late."

Brianna smiled back at Spencer. "So…you and Ashley doing okay now?"

"Yeah…we're actually back together. Ashley is moving here too." Spencer iflled her friend in.

Brianna let out a laugh and glanced back at Spencer. "Wow, that's amazing Spencer. I'm happy for you."

"Thanks." Spencer stopped in front of the building for her midterms and crossed her arms. "I have to go."

"Yeah. But hey, we should all hang out tonight or something. Celebrate midterms beign done and everything." Brianna suggested and Spencer smield at the the thought.

"That'd be fun. Call me okay?" Spnecer asked as she stepped away from Brianna.

"Okay! Bye." She said and ran off in the opposite direction of Spencer.

Spencer turned towards the building and smiled to herself. She was glade that everything was on solid ground and that she was being truthful. Heading in the doors of the building Spencer was glade that Glenn had made that call, even if he did have a big mouth.

000

Spencer walked out of the building and heaved a sigh. Finally the midterm was done and over with, and how it seemed to Spencer, she did pretty well. Holding onto the strap to her backpack Spencer smiled as she walked back towards her dorm. Things were starting to get just a little bette,r with the stress and expectations gone…life seemed just a little more enjoyable for Spencer.

As Spencer walked into her dorm building her cell phone started to ring. Spencer stopped against a wall and fished her phone out of her bag. She stared at the caller id and let out a sigh. "Mom." Spencer mumbled flipping open the phone and holding it to her ear. "Hey Mom." Spencer greeted, a happy tone in her voice.

"Your midterm was today right?" Mrs. Carlin asked and Spencer started to walk back towards her dorm again.

"Yeah Mom. I think I did pretty good on it. I'm all down now." Spencer explained as she opened her dorm room door.

"That's amazing Spencer! I'm proud of you." She stated and Spencer smiled to herself. Of course she was, whenever Spencer was doing above amazing was when Mrs. Carlin was most proud of her.

"Thanks." Spencer sighed out as she dropped her bag onto the floor and stood in the middle of her dorm room.

"Anyways, me and your father are throwing you kids a little party for getting through midterms. Can you make it out tomorrow?" Mrs. Carlin asked and Spencer inwardly groaned. Dealign with her mom wasn't what Spencer wanted at the moment, especially now that Ashley was back in her life.

"Um…sure Mom." Spencer agreed. Wither she wanted it or not, she new her mom wouldn't say no. Spencer could deal with it thought, it couldn't be that bad.

"Oh! Glenn mentioned about having someone in your life the other day. He sounded happy. So…who is it? Robbie?" Mrs. Carlin asked and Spencer choked back a laugh. Glenn, he was really seomthing some times.

"What did Glenn say exactly?" Spencer asked sitting down on her bed, she had a feeling she should sit for this part.

"Nothing. Just that you had someone and he was thinking you should bring the person to the party. Glenn is bringing is new girlfriend and Clay of course is going to bring Chelsea." Mrs. Carlin explained and Spencer nodded her head.

"Well…if you want me too." Spencer stated as she broke out a smile.

"Of course Spencer! I'd love to meet him." Mrs. Carlin answered, sounding way to excited.

Spencer let out a laugh and nodded her head. "Okay. I'll bring the person." Spencer agreed.

After saying good-bye quickly Spencer hung up her phone and tossed it on her bed. Shaking her head Spencer sprawled out on her bed and tried to imagine how tomorrow would play out exactly. That is if Ashley even wanted to come.

000

Spencer wlaked to the dorm room door as a knock rang out. She opened it wide and saw herself staring at Ashley. "Hey!" Spencer stated and stepped aside so that Ashley could walk into the room.

"Well, after hours of searching and pleading…I finally got a new job and apartment!" Ashley stated and smiled at Spencer.

Spencer matched Ashley's smile as they walked towards Spencer's side of the dorm. "Wow Ashley…I'm proud. Is it far?" Specner asked as the pair fell onto Spencer's bed.

Ashley shook her head and took off her jacket. "Nope! It's close to you and to my job and everything. It's only a couple hundred a month. I'm so stoked for it. You have to come see it tomorrow. That's when I'm able to move in." Ashley suggested and Spencer nodded her head. Tomorrow.

"Actually…I made us plans for tomorrow." Spencer started, unsure of how exactly to break it to Ashley. Mrs. Carlin wasn't exactly Ashley's most favorite person.

"Really what?" Ashley asked leaning close to Spencer and taking her hand.

"Well, it's an hour from here…" Spencer trailed off as she tried to think of the right words. The last thing that Spencer wanted was for Ashley to get mad at her.

"It's at your parents' isn't it?" Ashley guessed and Spencer nodded her head.

"Yes?" She answered and Ashley shook her head.

"Come on Spencer…" Ashley pleaded and Spencer shook her ehad.

"I really want to go. It is my family Ashley. I mean are we just going to let my mom get in the way? It's not like she can do anything anyway. I'm not sixteen anymore Ashley, remember?" Spencer stated and Ashley cracked a smile.

"Fine. We'll go. But I swear, one word from the women and I'm letting it out." Ashley promised and Spencer nodded her head while laughing.

"Whatever you want." Specner reached over and kissed Ashley on the lips. "Thank you."

Ashley rolled hre eyes. "Whatever. Just as long as you come to my new apartment afterwards."

Spencer nodded her head and stood off the bed. "Promise. Get ready for tonight though, Brianna should be calling me soon. And we're going out! Celebrating." Spencer explained walking over to her closet.

"Sounds like fun. Brianna is a good friend. I approve." Ashley stated walking up next to Spencer.

"I'm so glade you approve." Spencer joked and Ashley lightly jabbed at Spencer's ribs.

"Shut up." She stated.

Spencer shook her head and pulled out a shirt that was more approiate for having fun in, not studying in. She pulled it over her tank top and watched as Ashley pulled something form the closet. Ashley slipped into the new shirt as Specner's phone rang.

Spencer wlaked over to it and picked it up. "Hello."

"Hey Spencer, you two ready because we're elaving in like five." Brianna stated and Spencer nodded hre head.

"Yeah we're ready. You heading to my dorm?"

"You bet it. We're there in like two minutes." Brianna exclaimed and Spencer heard someone in the background.

"We?" She asked and Brianna laughed.

"Yeah, I have a new guy. You'll love him." Brianna promised.

"Okay see you." Spencer hung up her phone and glanced over at Ashley.

"You better hurry, Brianna and her new boyfriend are going to be here really soon." Spencer explained as Ashley looked over herself in the mirror.

"I'm done! Let's go rock this town." Ashley stated and Spencer let out a laugh. She really had missed Ashley Davies.


	9. Chapter 9

**Title: **Changing Hearts And Minds  
**Author: **Freeing Alys  
**Rating: **T  
**Pairing: **Spashley[Spencer/Ashley  
**Summary: **Spencer is at college and things are going good, then Ashley shows up out of nowhere half a year after their fallout and Spencer's whole world is turned around.  
**Disclaimer: **I DO NOT own South Of Nowhere or any of the charectors or story plots. Those all belong to The-N and anyone else affiliated. I'm JUST a fan, trying to improve my writing skills. I'm not making any profit off of this at all. No copywrite infridgement intended.

**Chapter Nine**

Ashley let out a loud laugh as her and Spencer walked through the dorm building's halls. "Shhh! You are going to get me in so much trouble." Spencer whispered as she helped Ashley walk.

Brianna and her new boyfriend Trey, walked behind the couple stifling giggles. Spencer glanced at them and rolled her eyes, they really just thought this was hiliaries. And it really wasn't.

The foursome had gone to a local club and Ashley spent the night having fun. Way too much fun. She drank four bottles of beer and three shots of vodka…which got her way to drunk to legally be in Spencer's dorm. "S-s-s-sorry." Ashley slurred out and Spencer shook her head.

She didn't know why, but Ashley seemed to have gotten way more drunk then anyone else. The other three had just as much to drink as Ashley, if not more, and only got mildly buzzed. "You are such a light weight." Spencer grumbled as she opened the door to her dorm and Ashley stumbled in.

"You guys okay?" Brianna asked as Spencer shoved her key back into her pocket.

Spencer nodded her head and smiled at her best friend. "Yeah, thanks for walking us."

Brianna nodded her head back towards Spencer. "See you later okay?"

Spencer nodded her head as Trey waved at Spencer and nodded his own head. "Bye Spencer." He mumbled and the couple walked off.

Spencer walked into her dorm room and shut the door behind her. She glanced towads Aubrey's bed and watched Aubrey sit up in her bed and glanced at the two with a confused look. "Hey Aubrey." Spencer greeted her roommate as Ashley fell down on Spencer's bed.

"Wow, you guys had fun." Aubrey stated and Spencer rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, we just went out with some friend to celebrate midterms you know." Spencer explained and Aubrey nodded her head.

"I guess so." Aubrey flipped the book she had been reading shut and glanced over at Ashley. "She okay?" Aubrey asked taking her in and Spencer nodded her head.

"Sure, she's fine. I guess." Spencer mumbled while taking off Ashley's shoes.

"Does she normally get like that?" Aubrey asked sliding off of he rbed and glacnign at Ashley.

Spencer shrugged and looked over at Aurbey. "I have no idea. I haven't seen her for like six months. And we didn't drink all that much when we knew each other."

"Oh." Aubrey said as Ashley's eyes fluttered back open.

Ashely glanced at Spencer and smield. "I love you." She mumbled barely audible and Spencer glanced at Aubrey who let out a laugh.

"Wow, I think she needs rest." She said and walked back over ot her side of the dorm.

"Yeah." Spencer sighed out and she laid down next to Ashley on the bed.

000

The next morning Spencer woke up before alarm clock, due to Ashley sliding off of the bed. Spencer opened her eyes and watched as Ashley stumbled over to Spencer's closet and pulled out an outfit. Ashley brought her hand to her head and let out a groan. "You okay?" Spencer asked as she sat up in bed.

Ashley smiled at Spencer and nodded. "Yeah I'm okay. Just hungover." Ashley explained and Spencer nodded her head.

"I noticed." She joked and Ashley stuck her tongue out at Spencer.

"Whatever." Ashley mumbled as she slipped out of the clothes for the night before.

Spencer glanced over at Aubrey's bed and saw that she was no longer there. Aubrey was always an early morning person. Spencer figured half of it was to see her boyfriend, ASAP.

Spencer slipped out of her bed and walked over to her closet, next to Ashley. "Ready for today?" Spencer asked as she pulled out a skirt and tank top.

Ashley nodded her head slowly as she pulled her clean pair of jeans on. "Yeah, I guess. I mean…if you want to go."

Spencer slipped into her skirt and nodded her head at Ashley. "yeah, I want to go. It's okay with you right? I mean I can just wait to tell my mom."

Ashley slipped her shirt off and glanced at Spencer. "You want to tell your mom?" Ashley asked, a mixture of confusion and happiness in her voice.

Spencer smiled at Ashley as she slipped her shirt on and nodded her head. "Yeah. I mean I don't want to let you down anymore Ashley and my mom has to know. I don't want to hide." Spencer admitted as she slipped on her own shirt.

Ashley smiled at Spencer. "Wow Spencer, I'm proud really."

Spencer let out a laugh and nodded her head. "I'm glade."

Ashley hugged Spencer, wrapping her arms around Spencer's waist. "What time do we head out?" Ashley asked and Spencer glanced at her clock.

"I don't know. Glenn is supposed to drive us, I don't have a car." Spencer mumbled as she picked up her phone.

Ashley let out a sigh and plopped on Spencer's bed. "I know. I need to get a car." She sighed out and Spencer smiled at her.

Glenn's phone rang two times before he finally answered. "Hey Spencer." He greeted as the phone picked up.

"Hey Glenn. You are coming to pick me and Ashley up right?" Spencer checked.

"Yeah…Mom can't stop talking about your new guy." Glenn joked and Spencer rolled her eyes.

"Whatever, she'll figure it out soon enough. When are you going to be here?" Spencer asked taking a few steps towards Ashley.

"One hour. You two will be ready right?" Glenn asked and Spencer nodded her ehad.

"Yeah, we just have to grab food and we're ready."

"Good. I'll be at your dorm." Glenn stated before he hung up the phone.

Spencer hung up her phone and plopped down on her bed. "We have an hour to eat and get ready. Want to go to the cafeteria?" Spencer asked sitting close to Ashley.

Ashley smiled as she glanced over at Spencer. "Yes! I'm starved." She admitted and stood off the bed.

"Good." Spencer agreed and the pair headed out of the dorm room.

000

After Spencer and Ashley finished breakfast they walked back to Spencer's dorm. The couple walked side by side discussing the events of the afternoon as they walked into the dorm building. As they rounded the corner to Spencer's dorm they spotted Glenn sitting by the door. "Glenn!" Spencer walked towards him as he pushed himself off the floor.

"What's up Spencer?" Glenn asked shifting his weight from one foot to the other.

"What do you think?" Spencer asked as she pulled her key from her bag and unlocked her door.

"I guess that's far. Hey Ashley." Glenn turned his attention from Specner to Ashley. "What's going on with you?"

Ashley let out a laugh as the three stepped into the room. "The same but different." Ashley answered and Glenn rolled his eyes.

"Fine. I quite. "He mumbled.

Spencer laughed as she got together the few things that she needed for the day and turned back to Glenn. "Ready?" She asked.

Glenn nodded. "If you are."

Ashley took Spencer's hand and they took a few steps toward the door. "Good because we are." Ashley answered and Glenn let out a laugh as he followed the couple of the of the dorm room.

000

An hour later the Spencer, Ashley and Glen pulled into the driveway of the Carlin's residence. Ashley glanced over at Specner and Spencer smiled back at her. "You ready to do this?" She asked softly.

Ashley nodded her head. "As I'll ever be. Are you?" Ashley asked. Spencer didn't even take time to weigh the question in her mind, she already knew the answer.

"Yeah I am." She responded and Ashley kissed her on the lips.

"Okay." She sighed out.

Glenn, who had been watching the couple, let out a sigh and smiled at them. "Let's go have fun!" He exclaimed and Spencer rolled her eyes, if only.

The three took their time walking up to the door and Glenn knocked once they did. Mr. Carlin answered the door, a huge grin spread across his face. "Glenn! Spencer! And Ashley." Mr. Carlin glanced at Spencer and Spencer shrugged her shoulders.

"She just couldn't stay away." Spencer joked and Mr. Carlin laughed.

"That's right Mr. C." Ashley added and Mr. Carlin wrapped Ashley in a hug.

"I'm glade to see you Ashley. You're Mom is going to flip." Mr. Carlin warned spencer and she nodded her head.

"Yeah, I guessed that." Spencer mumbled as Mr. Carlin stepped aside and allowed the three kids to walk inside.

"She's outback with the food and Clay, Chelsea and the baby." Mr. Carlin stated.

Glen ran out the door quickly as Ashley reached for Spencer's hand and nodded at her. "I'm so ready, if you are." Ashley said.

Spencer glanced out towards the back door and felt her stomach flip around in itself. It wasn't a moment that Spencer really wanted to live over again. But she was an adult she could officially love who she wanted to. No one could stop her, not even her Mom. "I'm ready." Spencer stated.

Ashley smiled at Spencer and then over at Mr. Carlin. "Let's go girls." Mr. Carlin stated and lead the pair outside.

Spencer and Ashley stepped outside, hand in hand, and watched Mrs. Carlin attend to Clay and the baby. Spencer glanced at Ashley quickly and then back at her mom, when Mrs. Carlin turned around everything was going to change…again. "It's fine." Mr. Carlin told Spencer, taking in her nervous glance.

Spencer smiled at her Dad and waited until Mrs. Carlin turned around. "Spencer!" She exclaimed right as she turned around and as Mrs. Carlin's gaze fell on Ashley her expression turned sour. "What's this?" She asked.

Spencer took a deep breath and smiled over at Ashley. "Mom, me and Ashley are back together!" Spencer stated excitedly.

Mrs. Carlin propped her hands on her hips and glared at her daughter. "What? Why? Where's Robbie?" Mrs. Carlin asked and Spencer took another deep breath.

"Look Mom…I'm gay. There isn't anything you can do, I can do, or anyone can do to change it. I'm gay Mom…and I love Ashley." Spencer fought and she felt Ashley lightly squeeze her hand.

Mrs. Carlin shook her head and turned from Spencer and Ashley. "Fine." She mumbled.

Spencer shook her head, let go of Ashley's hand and walked away from the scene. She found a spot of grass to sit on and plopped down, as Ashley ran over to her. "Screw her." Ashley stated and Spencer laughed.

"Whatever." She mumbled staring at the grass and picking it with her fingers.

"I love you so much." Ashley whispered sitting next to Spencer and wrapping her arm around her.

Spencer smiled over at Ashley and nodded her head. "Yeah, I love you too."

"I'm proud of you Spencer, really. Standing up for yourself like that…you're amazing." Ashley stated and Spencer shook her head, her face flushing red.

"Thanks." She mumbled.

Ashley leaned over, kissed Spencer on the cheek and squeezed her with her arm. "Your welcome."

Spencer glanced over at Ashley and realized that she didn't need anything more for her life then moments like this one over and over again. Spencer was happy, and nothing was going to change that.

**THE END**


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